Texas Star anyone?

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IndianaBoy

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The Bianchi cup was in swing a few miles down the road last week, so I swung in to watch some of the greats shoot, and there happened to be a side shoot going on.

3 Texas stars, five plates per star, and you were only allowed to start with 3 loaded magazines, 6 rounds per mag. So you have a total of 18 rounds to clear 15 plates. It is all shot as one string, you don't get 3 separate times for each star... so the clock is ticking while you move. Some of the cup shooters did it in roughly 13 seconds.

Any of you who have shot a Texas star know how foolish they can make you look.


Things started off great but I got impressed with myself on the last star and wound up going to damn fast... as I usually do when I start off shooting well.

I left two plates on the last star, for a penalty of 5 seconds per plate. I shot for 25 seconds so I wound up with a 'score' of 35 seconds.

It was fun for 10 bucks but after watching the Cup again this year, I am convinced that USPSA is the game for me.


tx_star1.jpg

tx_star2.jpg

tx_star3.jpg

tx_star4.jpg
 
I love the Texas Star and try to incorporate it into every match we shoot. Small, dynamic, moving targets play havoc on a lot of shooters.
 
Hoser wrote: Shooting Texas Stars is more fun than drowning kittens.
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Plus One.

(Sorry Justin, but that deserved a plus one, besides I did it different and it has been three years since I did a plus one. )

Justin, or anyone, post a video of how you shoot the Texas Star please.
Many folks would like to learn how the best way to approach one of these.
 
Justin, or anyone, post a video of how you shoot the Texas Star please.
Many folks would like to learn how the best way to approach one of these.
Click to expand...


Always. Always. Always. Shoot the bottom plate first. :neener:



It's simple.


Start at the top and work your way down.
Or.
Start at the top and go clockwise.
Or.
Start at the top and go counter clockwise.


You need to shoot them to learn... at some point.
 
but the cruel MD uses the top position as a no-shoot!
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:eek: yeah that would uh... qualify your MD as an SOB...

Once overheard a local director comment while setting up for a match being heald the next day, that he'd thought about doing that once, but figured he'd get lynched.
 
information please....

i like these!!! first exposure to same, what holds the plate in the up and down positions? can anyone send a pic of the back side of the plate to reveal mechanical workings?

gunnie
 
Texas Star... the bane of the wheel man. Man do you ever start getting worried when you take that first miss and still have two or three (or one!) to go.
 
I have a friend that is was in the lead at a match til he came up on his first texas star. He had to shoot first & didn't get to see how it worked.

There are some videos on you tube that show the stars in action.
 
Justin, or anyone, post a video of how you shoot the Texas Star please.
Many folks would like to learn how the best way to approach one of these.
Click to expand...

Here's the best video I have of myself clearing a Texas Star. It'll be the second segment of the video. I got kind of a freebie in that one of the plates was knocked loose without my actually having to shoot it.

i like these!!! first exposure to same, what holds the plate in the up and down positions? can anyone send a pic of the back side of the plate to reveal mechanical workings?
Click to expand...

Basically the plates have holes drilled through them that fit onto pegs at the end of the arm. Then there's a clamp that holds the plate in place using spring pressure. I usually have a camera with me when I go to a match. If I remember to, I'll try to snap a picture or two for you.
 
Justin

"...If I remember to, I'll try to snap a picture or two for you."


much thanks, bud. checked out the video clip, i'm gonna have to build one of these for home use!!!

gunnie
 
When I started shooting gun games the TX star just gave me fits, I really hated it. I hated it so much I built a few of them and shot them and shot them until I was comfortable freestyle, strong hand and weak hand.

The one in the photo below is another that I built to make it a little more challenging. You pistol is placed on a switch that spins the star up to speed then at the buzzer power to the motor is cut by removal of the pistol thus allowing it to begin it’s oscillation (but you have to hit a plate first). If you look at the 2nd photo you can see how the spring latches work (over center device). The one at the top is open the bottom one is closed.

The last one I put together is what’s called an evil star. On the back of the shaft the star is mounted on is a spur gear that drives another gear and shaft in the opposite direction as the main shaft. Upon the counter rotating shaft are 4 full-size no threat targets, here is a link to a video http://s121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/?action=view&current=funstar.flv

The funny thing about the evil star is that new shooters tend to aim instead of spray and pray, so it’s not quite as much fun…
 

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jmorris,

thanks for the reply. are those some old TWECO brand weld fixture clamps you have modified to hold the target plate with springs?

gunnie
 
no they are flame cut 1/2" plate with two 1/4" holes drilled. One for the pivot another for the 1/4" rod that the springs attach to.

As noted above the 8" plates have two holes drilled into them. behind the angle iron is another 1/2" plate with two dowels that hold the plate to the "star" The spring loaded lever holds the plates on the dowels until a bullet impacts.

On other versions the arm and plate are cut from one part (think puzzle) but they seem to be a little less consistent.
 
thanks. now off to the drawing board. will have to be a winter project as my plate is full now.

i really like these targets.

gunnie
 
Here are the photos I promised awhile back. I tried to get decent closeups of the mechanism used to hold the plate to the arm. I hope they're helpful.

On this particular model, note that there is a cross-shaped cut that the plate fits into. There is a corresponding cross-shape on the base of the plate that fits into it. You can just barely make this out on the plate that's in mid-air in the second picture.
 

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Now as hard as it can be to shoot a texas star.. imagine two of them on a course of fire and you're shooting a revolver.. and you notice after firing one or two rounds that something is wrong and you determine that your front sight is missing......

Yep.. that was me at the IRC.. about 105 seconds on a course that should have taken me maybe 45 secs... Can we say interesting? ;) I did manage to hit all I needed to... kentucky windage was my friend that day lol.
 
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